


Looking Over Your Shoulder

by nerdwegian



Series: Tumblr Prompts [36]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Prison, Tumblr Prompt, barton brother feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-11
Updated: 2014-11-11
Packaged: 2018-02-24 22:52:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2599469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdwegian/pseuds/nerdwegian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"So, can I ask what you're in for, or is that not a thing to do?" Phil asks.</p>
<p>(Tumblr prompt: Meeting in prison AU.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Looking Over Your Shoulder

It takes nearly six months for Barney to finally come visit Clint. When he finally does, upon seeing Clint, his face twists and the corners of his mouth turn down.

"Oh for fuck's sake," Clint says, rolling his eyes so hard it almost hurts.

"Jesus," Barney says, eyes wide as Clint sits down at the table. "Oh Jesus, fuck, Clint, I--I don't--I don't even--"

"Yeah yeah," Clint says, smirking a little, silently vowing to milk this opportunity for all it's worth. "I'm your hero. Say it."

Barney won't say it, but for a brief moment it looks like he's at least considering it, which Clint considers a victory.

"I owe you," Barney says instead, quietly, like it pains him a little bit to admit it.

Clint's own grin just grows, and he looks down at his prison uniform. He runs a thumb over the numbers on his chest real fast, shrugging. "It's not even that long, dude."

"What the fuck are you talking about, three years is forfucking _ever_ ," Barney mumbles. "And you wouldn't even be in here--"

He cuts himself off, but Clint knows exactly what he means. _If you hadn't taken the fall for me. If I hadn't dragged you into this._

Clint draws a deep breath and changes the subject instead. "So, the food's better than I thought it would be."

That draws the barest hint of a smile from Barney. "Yeah?"

They mostly bullshit with each other for the rest of Barney's visit, half jokes and snark to avoid saying all the things they secretly want to. Voicing their feelings has never been a Barton brothers trait. Still, Barney's guilt hangs heavily in the air between them, and Clint doesn't know how to tell him he'd make the same choice again if given the chance. Again and again. Every time. As long as Barney's okay.

When Clint returns to his dorm after visitation is over, he sits down on his cot and stares blankly at the opposite wall. It's been a few months already, which seems to have flown by, but suddenly the idea of being stuck behind bars for three years seems almost too much to bear.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Clint starts a little at the voice, and turns his head to see an inmate he doesn't know.

"Hm? I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know," the guy says, gesturing as he takes a hesitant step halfway into Clint's little section of the dorm. "You looked upset."

"Oh," Clint says, a little surprised that anyone in here would actually give a shit. It's prison. Minimum security, but still prison. There are always someone around looking upset. "Nah, it's--it's fine. Sorry."

The guy smiles a little, a look of confusion on his face. "Why are you sorry?"

Clint shakes his head to clear it and huffs out a weak laugh. "I don't know. Just lost in thought I guess. Visiting hours, you know how it is."

The guy shrugs a little. "I don't, actually. I've only just gotten here. Phil Coulson."

Then he reaches out a hand for an actual handshake, like they're just two guys meeting at a social function or something, and Clint stares for a moment, baffled.

"Uh," he says, momentarily nonplussed, before finally gathering his wits about him. Standing up, he takes Phil's hand; it's a warm and solid shake. "I'm Clint. Barton, I guess."

"So, can I ask what you're in for, or is that not a thing to do?" Phil asks.

"Fuck if I know," Clint says with a shrug. "Can I offer you a Shawshank Redemption quote?"

"Mm," Phil says, as if he really has to think about it. "I feel like that might not have been a realistic fictional portrayal of prison life."

Clint frowns, mock-offended. "Fine, see if I let you come along when the tunnel behind my Rita Hayworth poster is done." It draws a short laugh from Phil, and Clint figures this guy isn't so bad, so he shrugs. "Drug possession with intent to distribute. Three years. How about yourself?"

"Did you?" Phil asks, instead of answering Clint's question.

Clint raises an eyebrow. "Did I what?"

"Intend to distribute?" Phil clarifies.

Clint considers his words carefully and shuffles a little awkwardly. He's not sure what to say. _The truth_ , his mind whispers treacherously at him, but there is no way in hell he's saying, _I wasn't gonna sell drugs to anyone, it wasn't even my drugs, they were my brother's, and I knew his partner was setting him up so I stole the drugs to take the fall in his place because he's got priors and I didn't and I didn't want him to be locked up for forever._

"I--" Clint says, hesitating. "What's with all the questions?"

"You just--don't look like a drug dealer," Phil says, and his smile is warm and kind. It makes something stir in Clint's stomach, like a sort of tingly fluttering feeling, and--oh.

Clint pauses.

Well. Isn't that inconvenient.

"Neither do you," Clint shoots back, because it's the first thing he can think of to say.

"Well, I'm not one," Phil says. "Fraud. Eighteen months. Just got assigned a bunk, finally. Over there."

Phil points to a section a few beds down from Clint's. Clint immediately recognizes that bunk, and he can't hide his reaction. Both his eyebrows fly upwards and he whistles, long and low.

"Have you met your bunkmate yet?"

"No, why?" Phil asks, frowning. "Is--is he not nice?"

"Well," Clint smirks. "If Blake's the guard on duty, you can come crash at our place." He gestures to his own bed and the bed opposite, belonging to Steve. "Most of the guards are sticklers for rules, but let's just say that Blake knows what's up with your bunkmate, and he won't fault you for trying to escape."

Phil's starting to look really worried now.

"He doesn't sleep much," Clint explains. "And he likes to talk. And talk. And talk."

Phil's frown eases up a bit then, and his smile returns--this time, hesitantly flirting?

"If that's all, I'm sure it won't be that bad, but--it's good to know the offer's there."

Clint snorts. "Mhm. Sure. Okay."

Clint predicts that Phil will be seeking refuge from Tony's chatter by the end of the week. It's okay, though. He won't mind keeping Phil close by.

End.


End file.
